The present invention relates generally to toothbrushes. More particularly, the present invention relates to a toothbrush having a chewable bristle anchor.
The prior art contains a vast number of different toothbrush designs. A manually operated toothbrush typically includes rows of bristles attached to a rigid head. The user holds the toothbrush against his teeth and moves the toothbrush to scrub the teeth. Conventional hand-held toothbrushes require manual manipulation to effectively clean the teeth. Some known toothbrushes are designed for a single use or for a limited number of uses. Such xe2x80x9ctemporaryxe2x80x9d of single-use toothbrushes also utilize a rigid bristle head and also require the user to manually manipulate the toothbrush.
Although the prior art contains many toothbrushes, most do not divert from the manual operation of the standard design. Accordingly, there exists a need for a toothbrush that cleans teeth in a new and unconventional manner.
A toothbrush according to the present invention can include a chewable bristle anchor that enables the user to clean his teeth by chewing on the toothbrush. The user need not manipulate the toothbrush using the traditional brushing motion. Various single-use and multiple-use toothbrushes can be designed according to the techniques of the present invention.
The above and other aspects of the present invention may be carried out in one form by a toothbrush comprising a chewable bristle anchor having an uncompressed shape, a plurality of bristles attached to the bristle anchor, and a handle connected to the bristle anchor. The bristle anchor is configured to compress upon itself in response to application of an external force and to return to its uncompressed shape in response to removal of the external force.